Stories from 15 June 2012
India: Activist Facing Arrest For Exposing Church Miracle
Sasi at Random Thoughts reports that Sanal Edamuruku, the President of the Indian Rationalist Association, is facing arrest for proclaiming that the “dripping cross” outside Vile Parle’s Velankanni church is not a miracle, but the result of a natural action. A petition is online to call for dropping the complaints...
India: The Fact About Two Birthdays For One Person
A huge population in the Indian sub-continent celebrate their birthdays on two different days – one the official one, and one on the day they were actually born. Binayak Ghosh explains why.
Pakistan: RIP Ghazal Legend Mehdi Hassan
Mehdi Hassan Khan also famously known as the ‘King of Ghazal’ passed away on Wednesday, 13, June, 2012 after a protracted illness, in a local hospital in Karachi city of Pakistan. Netizens pay their tribute.
Russia: Death Threats for Journalists and Forgiveness for Officials
A bizarre story involving Russia's top investigator threatening the life of an opposition newspaper's deputy editor, and how everyone reconciled a day later. Kevin Rothrock reports.
Guatemala: Anti-Mining Activist Shot
The blog Guatemala Solidarity Network and James Rodriguez from Mi Mundo report on the attempted murder of anti-mining activist Yolanda “Yoli” Oquely Veliz. The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA condemns the shooting and invites citizens to sign a petition “to call on the Guatemalan Government to investigate this crime and prosecute...
China: Late-Term Abortion Forced by Corrupt Officials
Images of a woman forced to undergo a late-term abortion in Ankang Shaanxi Province in China have been circulating widely in Chinese social media and micro-blogging platforms triggering furious reactions.
Zimbabwe: Security Elites Get Facebook Grilling
Widespread concern about about politicization of the military in Zimbabwe has made Roy Bennett, a senior official of Movement for Democratic Change, turn to Facebook to speak his mind about the military’s brazen partisanship. Other Zimbabweans have joined in the conversation despite the arrest of one Zimbabwean last year for a comment he posted on Facebook.
Zambia: Meet a Blogger Who Tackles Health Issues
One Zambian female blogger tackles an issue other Zambian bloggers don’t touch — health. Meluse Kapatamoyo has written about dementia, fibroids as well as malaria eradication and the use of beads for family planning among other health conditions on her blog.
Bulgaria: Protests Against Forest Act in Sofia
For two days, June 13 and 14, Bulgaria's capital Sofia was blocked due to the unsanctioned protests against the modification of the vague Forest Act. The third rally is scheduled to take place today. Ruslan Trad reports.
Kazakhstan: Disbelief Shrouds Confession to Mysterious Deaths on Border
Following a deadly incident on a remote Kazakh border post, young conscript Private Vladislav Chelakh has reportedly confessed to killing 14 fellow border guards and a forest ranger. However, some netizens are not convinced about the official account of the incident and Chelakh's role in it.
